Systems and Methods for Pairing Garments

ABSTRACT

An example method of marking garments to provide a plurality of garment pairs includes weaving a first tag into a first garment of a plurality of garments, the first tag having a corresponding first color. The method also includes weaving a first circumferential thread into a second garment of the plurality of garments, wherein the first circumferential thread is the first color, and wherein each garment comprises an open end and a closed end separated by a garment body, and wherein the first tag and the first circumferential thread are woven into the respective first garment and second garment proximate the respective open ends.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure generally relates to clothing or apparel and, more specifically, methods for matching pairs of garments based on a particular color scheme and interwoven tags.

BACKGROUND

Socks (and other garments) often come in pairs, such that a pair of socks will include a left sock and a right sock. Different pairs of socks may have one or more different characteristics, such that a given left sock pairs with only one right sock. Over the course of time and through typical use of the socks, especially through laundry, one or more socks may become mismatched or uncoupled from its matching pair.

SUMMARY

The appended claims define this application. The present disclosure summarizes aspects of the embodiments and should not be used to limit the claims. Other implementations are contemplated in accordance with the techniques described herein, as will be apparent to one having ordinary skill in the art upon examination of the following drawings and detailed description, and these implementations are intended to be within the scope of this application.

Example embodiments are shown describing methods and systems for matching pairs of garments, particularly socks. An example method of marking garments to provide a plurality of garment pairs includes affixing a first tag into a first garment of a plurality of garments, the first tag having a corresponding first color. The method also includes weaving a first circumferential thread into a second garment of the plurality of garments, wherein the first circumferential thread is the first color. Further, the method includes wherein each garment comprises an open end and a closed end separated by a garment body, and wherein the first tag and the first circumferential thread are affixed and woven into the respective first garment and second garment proximate the respective open ends.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a better understanding of the invention, reference may be made to embodiments shown in the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily to scale and related elements may be omitted, or in some instances proportions may have been exaggerated, so as to emphasize and clearly illustrate the novel features described herein. In addition, system components can be variously arranged, as known in the art. Further, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

FIGS. 1A and 1B illustrate an example pair of socks according to embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIGS. 2A and 2B illustrate a second example pair of socks according to embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 3 illustrates a flowchart of an example method according to embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 4 illustrates an example tag affixed to a sock according to embodiments of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS

While the invention may be embodied in various forms, there are shown in the drawings, and will hereinafter be described, some exemplary and non-limiting embodiments, with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered an exemplification of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the specific embodiments illustrated.

As noted above, pairs of garments (particularly socks) may become mismatched through normal use. As such, it may be beneficial to provide garments having particular markings or interwoven segments that may provide a person with an easier way to match a pair of garments when selecting from a plurality of garments. This is particularly beneficial where the plurality of socks are similar in style, size, or color, but vary slightly and are difficult to differentiate.

Embodiments disclosed herein may be described with reference to socks and pairs of socks, however it should be noted that the same principals can be applied to other types of garments, including gloves, mittens, or any other garment that comes in a pair.

With these issues in mind, example embodiments of the present disclosure may provide a method of marking socks or other garments in order to provide a plurality of distinct pairs that can be more easily identified. A first sock may include a tag, which may be sewn, woven, or otherwise affixed to a top portion of the sock. A second sock that completes the pair, may include a circumferentially woven thread that is woven around the top portion of the second sock. The color of the tag and the thread may match, such that a given plurality of socks may include a red pair (having a red tag and a red thread respectively), a green pair, a white pair, a black pair, etc. A person selecting a pair of socks may more readily select the pair of socks from a plurality of unpaired socks by looking for the matching color scheme. Further, the fact that one sock includes a tag and the other sock includes a thread allows the person to more easily identify the left sock vs. the right sock.

FIGS. 1A and 1B illustrate an example pair of socks 100A and 100B according to embodiments of the present disclosure. Each sock 100A and 100B may include a closed end 102A and 102B, an open end 104A and 104B, and a sock body 106A and 106B. Each sock may be made from any suitable material, including cotton, polyester, a blend, and more.

In some examples, a tag 110 may be sewn or woven into the first sock 100A. Alternatively, the tag 110 may be attached to sock 100A using a pin and clasp, as describe with respect to FIG. 4. First sock 100A may be a left sock or a right sock, and may be paired with sock 100B which may comprises the other of the left or right sock. The tag 110 may be woven or affixed onto an outside of sock 100A, or may be woven or affixed onto an inside of sock 100A. Further, tag 110 may be woven or affixed into an area of sock 100A proximate the open end 104A. In some examples the tag may be woven or affixed onto the area proximate the open end, or offset from the open end by less than one inch from the open end.

In some examples, the first tag 110 may be woven or affixed onto the first sock 100A on a first end, but uncoupled from the first sock on one or more other ends. For instance, where the tag 110 is a rectangle, a first side may be woven into the sock, while the other three sides are uncoupled. Alternatively, the tag 110 may be woven into sock 100A on two or more sides. Further, tag 110 may be any shape including a rectangle (shown in FIG. 1A), square, circle, triangle, and more.

Tag 110 may also have a corresponding color. The color may correspond to a circumferential thread woven into a second sock 100B of the pair of socks, described in further detail below.

FIG. 1B illustrates a second sock 100B of the pair of socks. Second sock 100B may be similar or identical to first sock 100A in one or more respects. Second sock 100B may include a circumferential thread 112 woven around the sock. The circumferential thread 112 may have a color that matches the color of tag 110, such that the pair of socks share the same color tag and circumferential thread.

In some examples, the circumferential thread may be woven into the second sock 100B at an area proximate the open end 104B of the sock. In particular, the circumferential thread may be woven into the second sock offset from the open end 104B by less than one inch.

In some examples the color of the tag and the color of the circumferential thread may be different from a color of the sock body 106A and 106B. This may provide additional visibility and ease in differentiating one or more sock pairs from a plurality of socks.

In some examples, the tag from a first sock and circumferential thread from a second sock in a pair of socks may include a pattern. FIGS. 2A and 2B illustrate a respective pair of socks 200A and 200B that may be similar to socks 100A and 100B in some respects.

But as seen in FIG. 2A, tag 210 may include a pattern displayed on a face of the tag. The pattern shown on tag 210 is a dash. The second sock 200B may include a circumferential thread 212 that matches the pattern shown on the tag 210. As shown in FIG. 2B, the circumferential thread 212 is a dashed thread, having a color that matches tag 210 in a dashed line interspersed with the color of the body of sock 200B.

The pattern shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B is a dash, however it should be noted that other patterns may be used as well, including one or more shapes, line or thread thicknesses, a plurality of threads (i.e., two or more parallel threads), and more.

In some examples, two or more pairs of socks may include different patterns or colors. For instance, a first pair of socks may include a red tag and a red circumferential thread respectively, while a second pair of socks includes a greed tag and a green circumferential thread. Other combinations are possible as well.

FIG. 3 illustrates an example method 300 according to embodiments of the present disclosure. Method 300 may enable a plurality of socks to be marked so that one or more pairs of socks may be selected form a plurality of socks. The flowchart of FIG. 3 is representative of machine readable instructions that may be stored in a memory and may include one or more programs which, when executed by a processor may cause one or more computing devices to carry out one or more functions described herein. While the example program is described with reference to the flowchart illustrated in FIG. 3, many other methods for carrying out the functions described herein may alternatively be used. For example, the order of execution of the blocks may be rearranged or performed in series or parallel with each other, blocks may be changed, eliminated, and/or combined to perform method 300. Further, because method 300 is disclosed in connection with the components of FIGS. 1-2, some functions of those components will not be described in detail below.

Method may start begin at block 302. At block 304, method 300 may include weaving or affixing a first tag onto a first sock of a plurality of socks, the first tag having a corresponding first color. At block 306, method 300 may include weaving a first circumferential thread into a second sock of the plurality of socks, wherein the first circumferential thread is the first color. Further, each sock may comprise an open end and a closed end separated by a sock body, and wherein the first tag and the first circumferential thread are affixed or woven into the respective first sock and second sock proximate the respective open ends.

At block 308, method 300 may include selecting a first sock having a first tag. And at block 310, method 300 may include selecting a second sock from the plurality of socks, wherein the second sock has a circumferential thread that matches the tag of the first sock. Method 300 may then end at block 312.

In some examples, rather than being woven into the sock, a tag may include a clasp configured to affix the tag to the sock. FIG. 4 illustrates an example tag 402 which may be affixed to a sock 400. The tag 402 may include a clasp 408 and pin 410 configured to fit into the clasp 408. The clasp 408 may be positioned on one side of the sock (e.g., the inside or outside near the open end 404), which the pin is position on the other side. The pin may fit into the clasp, causing the tag 402 to become affixed to the sock 400. The tag 402 may bend along axis 412 such that one side is inside the sock and the other side is outside the sock.

In this application, the use of the disjunctive is intended to include the conjunctive. The use of definite or indefinite articles is not intended to indicate cardinality. In particular, a reference to “the” object or “a” and “an” object is intended to denote also one of a possible plurality of such objects. Further, the conjunction “or” may be used to convey features that are simultaneously present instead of mutually exclusive alternatives. In other words, the conjunction “or” should be understood to include “and/or”. The terms “includes,” “including,” and “include” are inclusive and have the same scope as “comprises,” “comprising,” and “comprise” respectively.

The above-described embodiments, and particularly any “preferred” embodiments, are possible examples of implementations and merely set forth for a clear understanding of the principles of the invention. Many variations and modifications may be made to the above-described embodiment(s) without substantially departing from the spirit and principles of the techniques described herein. All modifications are intended to be included herein within the scope of this disclosure and protected by the following claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of marking garments to provide a plurality of garment pairs comprising: affixing a first tag onto a first garment of a plurality of garments, the first tag having a corresponding first color; and weaving a first circumferential thread into a second garment of the plurality of garments, wherein the first circumferential thread is the first color, wherein each garment comprises an open end and a closed end separated by a body, and wherein the first tag is affixed to the first garment proximate the respective open end.
 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising: affixing a second tag into a third garment of the plurality of garments, the second tag having a corresponding second color; and weaving a second circumferential thread into a fourth garment of the plurality of garments, wherein the second circumferential thread is the second color, wherein the first color and the second color are different.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first circumferential thread is woven into the second garment offset from the open end by less than one inch.
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first tag is affixed to the first garment on an outside of the first garment proximate the open end of the first garment.
 5. The method of claim 4, wherein the first tag is affixed to the first garment offset from the open end by less than one inch.
 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first tag is affixed to the first garment on a first end, but uncoupled from the first garment on a second end.
 7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first color is different from a body color corresponding to the body of the first and second garments.
 8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first tag comprises a first pattern, and wherein the first circumferential thread comprises a second pattern that matches the first pattern.
 9. The method of claim 8, wherein the first pattern comprises a dash, and wherein the second pattern comprises a corresponding dashed line.
 10. The method of claim 1, wherein the first tag is affixed to the first garment flush with the open end.
 11. The method of claim 1, wherein the first circumferential thread is woven into the second garment proximate the open end of the second garment. 